Kansas GOP forms loyalty committee

[Doug]

State GOP forms loyalty committee
TOPEKA - The state Republican Party is forming a loyalty committee so that it can punish officers who endorse or contribute to Democrats.

The GOP's conservative-dominated state committee also is accusing a prominent moderate of trying to undermine the party's fundraising. It has adopted a resolution criticizing Steve Cloud, a Lenexa businessman and former legislator who represents Kansas on the Republican National Committee.

The state committee's anti-Cloud resolution and its decision to form the loyalty committee came as Republicans continue to feel the sting of election losses last year. Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius easily won a second term; Paul Morrison switched parties to win the attorney general's office as a Democrat; and Democrat Nancy Boyda ousted five-term Republican Rep. Jim Ryun in the 2nd Congressional District.

Before taking office in January, chairman Kris Kobach promised to reorganize and reinvigorate the Kansas GOP. He and other Republicans have said GOP activists need to show unity in elections so that Democrats don't take advantage of their disagreements.

"The motive behind this is, 'Let's make sure Republicans are supporting Republicans,' " said Christian Morgan, the state GOP's executive director. "If you want to hold a party post, you should at least be supporting Republican candidates."

The state committee's actions struck a sour note for some Republicans, particularly moderates on issues such as abortion. Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist, suggested the loyalty committee could prove a "public relations disaster."

"Ironically, it smacks most of the Communist Party," Beatty said Monday. "That's the kind of public irony that most parties try to avoid -- the party of freedom telling people they have no freedom."

Read the rest here.

[Barbara Fitzpatrick]

Sounds like a sure fire way to get moderate Rs to switch parties.